Church of San Félix, Torralba de Ribota

Church of San Félix, Torralba de Ribota

Calle Mayor, s/n. 50311 Torralba de Ribota

CURRENT PROTECTION STATUS: ACI

TYPE OF ASSET: Property

CATEGORY: Religious

ARCHITECTURAL STYLE: Mudejar

CONSTRUCTION DATE: 1367 and 1420

The church of San Félix in Torralba de Ribota is an example of a fortified church with a single nave, straight east end and side aisles.

The presbytery has a straight east end wall and is composed of three square plan chapels that open onto the central nave by means of three pointed arches.

The single nave has three bays covered by a quadripartite rib vault and the bays are separated by three shorter bays projecting toward the buttresses, covered by a pointed barrel vault. It is important to note that these buttresses are only pronounced in the plan view, not on the façade.

The two bays covered by the rib vault and the smaller bays covered by the barrel vault are separated by means of transverse arches. The rib vaults are decorated with bosses: a pendant of muqarnas, also found in the church of Santa María in Tobed but larger in size, and a flat disc with a Gothic crest topped by a tower (the crest of Torralba de Ribota).

The side chapels between the buttresses are covered by quadripartite rib vaults, except for the one in the bay at the west end, which has a pointed barrel vault.

There are a number of apertures arranged similarly to those of the church in Tobed, although there is just one opening in the presbytery of this church in Torralba de Ribota, directly linking it to that of Santas Justas y Rufina in Maluenda.

In the raised choir at the west end of the church, there is a large polychrome wood alfarje ceiling structure held up by three arches on Tuscan order columns.

Above the side chapels and the three chapels in the presbytery there is a passageway for defensive purposes that extends to the exterior with large pointed-arch windows between each buttress tower, six over the presbytery chapels.

The exterior decoration features protruding brick work, with more lavish decoration on the gables. The interior decoration consists of painted brick designs throughout the nave and Mudejar plasterwork covering the apertures, which are pointed-arch windows with colonettes in this case, separated in two by a single mullion.

Interventions

Restoration, 20th to 21st century

Restoration, 20th century (1953-1972) The church underwent a thorough process of restoration to return it to its original Mudejar appearance, mainly occurring at three times: In 1953 the roofs were repaired; in 1961 the tower and north façade were restored; in 1972 restoration work focused on the main façade.

Restoration, 20th century (1986- 2003)

From 1986 to 1992, restoration work was undertaken in several phases, starting with shoring up the foundations and strengthening or replacing highly worn construction elements, then continuing in diverse areas of the building, particularly the roofs.

From 1997 to 2003, the exterior restoration of the building was completed and a partial restoration of the interior was carried out, specifically on the coffered wood ceilings, the murals in the central nave and side aisles and the plasterwork. These interventions were funded by the Government of Aragon with a budget of 605,624 euros.

Restoration, 21st century (2016)

The interior of the building was restored, renovating the items left untouched during the restoration work in 2003.

Projects and interventions

Declarations

Declaration1931, 20st century

The church of San Félix in Torralba de Ribota was declared a Historical and Artistic Monument under the Ministry of Public Instruction and Fine Arts Decree of June 3, 1931 published in the Gazette on June 4 1931.

Declaration, 21st century (2001)

The Official Gazette of Aragon dated November 14, 2001 published the Department of Culture and Tourism Order of October 15, 2001, whereby the original declaration of the church of San Félix in Torralba de Ribota (Zaragoza) is supplemented pursuant to Transitional Provision One of Aragonese Cultural Heritage Act 3/1999, of March 10.

Bibliography

BORRÁS GUALIS, GONZALO M. El Arte Mudéjar, Instituto de Estudios Turolenses, Zaragoza, 1990.

GONZALO M. BORRÁS GUALIS. El islam. De córdoba al mudéjar, Ed.Sílex,Madrid, 2000.

MÉNDEZ DE JUAN, JOSÉ FÉLIX ET AL. (COORD.). Aragón Patrimonio Cultural Restaurado. 1984/2009. Bienes inmuebles, Gobierno de Aragón, Zaragoza, 2010.

PIEPER, KATHARINA. YESERÍAS MUDÉJARES ARAGONESAS. Características de los ventanales y óculos de yeso de un maestro activo en Tobed, Torralba de Ribota y Maluenda, En XII Simposio Internacional de Mudejarismo (Teruel,2005): Actas. Instituto de Estudios Turolenses, 2007.p. 177-192.

SANMIGUEL MATEO, AGUSTÍN. Torres de ascendencia islámica en las comarcas de Calatayud y Daroca, Centro de estudios bilbilitanos, Institución “Fernando el Católico”, Calatayud , 1998.